​By Marc Raimondi

Jorge Valdes might have a chance to inspire even more young athletes now than he did when he was a practicing gymnast.

The Florida man suffered a cervical spine fracture while training five years ago. Valdes landed incorrectly, in what he described as "pretty much scorpioned while spinning on my head."

"I literally thought I threw my life away," Valdes told WSVN in South Florida in a recent interview. "All the training I had done my whole life, to be gone in one minute."

Watch Valdes' story here

After the accident, Valdes was rushed to the hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery to repair the bones in his spine.

I felt like an electrical pain, like an electrical shot through my body. And then after I landed, I felt heat.

Yet just six days after entering the hospital, Valdes was miraculously able to stand up and take steps. 

"Not very coordinated, but I was up on my feet," Valdes said. "On the seventh day, I was walking out of the hospital."

He told WSVN he owed his fortitude and determination to his lifelong gymnastics training.

You have to be courageous. At the same time, you can't be overconfident. You have to be able to face fear, you have to be able to fight through pain. You have to be able to focus.

Valdes, 25, might not be able to compete or train in gymnastics anymore, but he has turned to coaching youngsters in the sport. He's hoping to send some of his kids on to the Olympics one day.

It's pretty clear that Valdes can teach the children he coaches much more than just gymnastics.

"Stay strong. You have to stay positive. And you have to stay fighting," Valdes said.